The undesirable or unpleasant sound is referred to as noise. When lots of noise creates in the environment is referred as noise pollution. It is also considered as an environmental pollutant. Ambient noise levels affect both humans and environmental receptors. Effect of noise pollution on human health depends on its frequency and intensity. It can damage psychological and physiological health and can cause stress-related illness, sleep disruption, high blood pressure, memory loss and severe depression. Constant exposure to high sound level can result in the damage of ear drums to loss of hearing.
The present study aimed to determine the ambient noise level in Nagpur city, the winter capital of Maharashtra. Noise monitoring was carried out for 24 hours, during working and non-working days at various locations around 51 points across the city. These locations divided into 9 categories viz. railway, National Highway, State Highway, major road, minor roads, industrial area, commercial area, residential area and silence zone according to land use pattern. Sound level meter was used to noise monitoring for record noise data. The data so collected was analyzed for various noise metrics viz. Leq, L10, L50, L90, Lmax and Lmin. The important statistic used in noise pollution studies is continuous equivalent sound pressure level (Leq) which represents a single value for a period of time. Traffic Noise Index (TNI) and Noise Pollution Level (LNP) also calculated that represented noise pollution condition in Nagpur city.
The study revealed that noise levels are exceeded the ambient noise standard at most of the locations. Honking is observed as a major contribution in urban noise after vehicular noise. Apart from this, noise levels were observed more in non-working days as compared to working days especially in residential and commercial areas. Based on the noise monitoring and statistical analysis of noise levels, the recommendation is suggested to control the noise pollution in the city.